My Thoughts on Filly Funtasia · 9:03pm Jan 5th, 2014
So, there has been some mumblings and some murmurings about this German TV show that is in production for 2014 (this year), and while I'm not in a position to say yes or no about it, I feel compelled to offer my thoughts on it never the less. One motivation for this is the fandom, and the other is the fandom. I don't want to mince words here, but bronies have a nasty terrible habit of pulling out the knives on anything that remotely comes too close to their beloved pony show, and they feel the urge to kill it with fire; often unjustly, and without much in the way of forethought.
The new show, Filly Funtasia is a property that has been around for a few years. I know, because I have one or two of the small figures sitting on my shelf. When I spied them in a Target in Springfield a few years ago, I thought they were MLP rip-offs, and I bought them as souvenirs. Amazingly enough the insert paperwork that came with the small blind bag had a lot of information about the dozens of "fillies." I shrugged a few times, and sat the felt covered toys on my shelf where they sit today.
Depending on the crowd, I will admit my membership in the Brony Socialist Party; and depending on the crowd, I will deny and denounce with gusto. On here, I will probably deny. It's better in the long run if fellow bronies think I despise them, rather then engaging in whose fandom is longer and more pulsating. Everywhere else, I'll probably admit.
What this means is that, because of my personal interrelationship with bronies and non-bronies I am in a unique position to offer level headed opinions on something that seems to be related or inspired by MLP without pissing myself, and sobbing into my milk. I can watch the trailer, and grin and smile at the novelty of it, and not feel as if someone is singling me out to some ill.
So, now that we are clear on this. I will offer my thoughts on Filly Funtasia, and I'll tell you why I want it to succeed as a kid's show, and why I want all the bronies to lose their minds with grief over it.
In 2012 I watched with shame as brony after brony publicy condemned the new series, Littlest Pet Shop. Despite the fact that it featured some of their favorite voice actors and actresses, they somehow selfishly thought that Hasbro was trying to make lightning strike twice, or that the creative minds at Hasbro were crossing their fingers and hoping that the same fans that watched MLP would jump on the Pet Shop band wagon and propel another of their properties to great soaring heights. Whether there is any truth in that, is marginal. The fan reaction for the most part was dismal. I mean some of them behaved so badly that one would think that Hasbro made ponies just for them, and them alone. Which brings me to the point of ownership.
I'm sorry to have to tell you this bronies and bronettes, MLP was not made for you. There are things in it now that are custom tailored for the fandom is some way, but for the most part it's still made for its target audience. If Hasbro decided to kill off all the principle characters and run a spin off show featuring Tom the rock and the Diamond Dogs, then that's their choice. We have no say. Likewise, we have no say to Hasbro creating LPS. I mean, some of the replies were worse than MLP haters when MLP first aired, and love and tolerance (which has been a joke from the day it was slapped on a poster) went out the window. Ironically, the bronies that were doing the most complaining hadn't even watched it yet.
Is LPS as big as MLP. No way. You can put your penises back in your pants, and put away the measuring tape. The two will never be in a competition ring together. For one thing they were never meant to compete with one another. LPS was made to be popular with children. So unless your a "children," then shaddup about it.
Coming full circle to Filly Funtasia, I am already seeing some hate formulating; though I expect more to happen once the show gains some more attention. Is this a deliberate rip-off of MLP? Maybe. Is this going to prevent Hasbro from making more MLP? Probably not. Will this cause any bronies to die? Well... we can surely hope a few of them keel over; but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Already there are some fans of the show, and while I shake my head at the new site, Funtasia Daily, I cannot deny the fact that there are some fans that want this to succeed. Maybe for some, ponies just isn't enough. Maybe they want to have more than just one type of meal a day; maybe they want a combination of shows. There is already some fan art, fan fiction and a music video of FF, so why can't it become a thing?
I do admit that the voice acting is terrible. The designs are straight from the G4.5 handbook; were Hasbro to go full CGi with ponies, I imagine this is what they would look like; and the show seems pretty dumbed down. Obviously this is catering to three to nine year olds. It's not mean for bronies, it's not meant for adults. This is a straight up kid's show, and for that reason, I want it to succeed.
When I was a kid I watched two shows that were obviously competitors: Gobots and Transformers. Know what? Neither company killed the other, and I didn't die because my beloved Transformers had some rip-off show running the same day. To me it was just more robot action, and as a kid that was all I cared about.
Now, on to the good parts.
Filly Funtasia seems interesting because of the amount of creation that seems to have gone into the various fillies. My favorite is the "Witchy Fillies." They are magical fillies that are like conjurers. Already one that has caught my attention is, "Lynn" one of the Wind Fillies. I love the mark on her eye. She reminds me of Sunset Shimmer.
The males in the show seem like doofuses, but then what male in a show featuring a plethora of female characters doesn't. I mean, Shining Armor is like the biggest grade "A" doofus ever created, and the fans still love him... well, sort of.
Funtasia is obviously the location of the show, there seems to be some sort of school or training academy that they are attending, and there has been some serious effort put into a relationship chart for the characters. Who's related to who, and so forth. Rumor has it, that the toy line features Filly Elves, and Filly Mermaids. Hmm...
One thing that I think is a huge plus, is that unlike MLP, there may be a recurring villain. The Wizard of the Dark Mirror, and Battiwigs are there to steal the magic from the realm; I'm thinking something like Gargamel... but I don't know.
I think given the fact that this show is German, might see some airing internationally, and might be fun for kids; I just don't think that bronies have anything to fear from it. For those that think it looks promising; you can go to Funtasia Daily and check them out, or make fun of them for ripping off everything about EqD, and being unoriginal bastards. See what I did there?
Anyway... hope those toes aren't stinging too badly. Muahahahaha!
no comments... What wrong with it????
Filly funtasia is really fun to watch it.